Tuesday, August 21, 2012

A Cousin's Challenge

by Wanda Brunstetter

Barbour Publishers

In this final installment to the Indiana Cousin Trilogy, Jolene Yoder returns to Indiana following the van accident that took her hearing. She is to be the teacher to two deaf Amish children that are new to the community, and though she has her misgivings, she is determined to be a good teacher as she once was.

Lonnie Hershberger is deafened by an accidental explosion, and is having a hard time adjusting to a world of silence. Jolene offers to help him learn how to communicate in his new world, but Lonnie is reluctant to go steady, especially since she seems sweet on Jake Beechy. But Jake Beechy is fighting his attraction to her cousin Ella, despite her continual rejection. Will these young people find God's will - and each other?

I loved this charming series, but one thing I noticed in this book was how accident prone the characters were. It seems as if the author used convenient "accidents" to force characters to action, and there was just so much of this going on in the book. I really had to wonder whether some of the end results and actions were because everyone kept getting into one predicament or another.

Despite my qualms on the excessive accidents, this book gave a very insightful view on life with no sound. Due to previous introduction, the characters kept my interest the whole
book through. It was a decent sequel to this wonderful series, and made me realize a very important truth; Amish people are just like us. They aren't perfect, they have their problems, just as we do, and they don't have an easy life. But they keep the faith, simple lifestyle, and sound moral values as best they are able to glorify their Lord Jesus Christ.